Antiholic
by USUKSisters
Summary: To fofill their own desires, Warlock Arthur Kirkland from 1692 and Alfred F. Jones from 2332, meet through a portal they have made with magic and technology. They can only see each-other, and are restricted from touch. From this, they form a relationship. Unable to cross into past, present, nor future, they have to find a way to combine it all to be together.
1. Paths Cross

Sparks fly, and a boy is thrown across his room. This tiny room has been Alfred's prison ever since he can remember. Sure, the computer walls have supplied him with enough knowledge of the outside world, but living it is what he desires. Before he can even think of the outside, he has to think of the others that might be trapped inside, just like he is. Building a time traveling device to escape walls seems irrational when he could probably look up how to build a laser and make it, but he's under high security. He won't get far before he's shot down. This crazy boy wants to talk to a warlock, seeing as witches seem to be treated the same as his race in his current time. But now, as he stares at the circle in the wall smoking from short circuits, he realizes he has failed. Nothing but a black screen remains in its center. He's still confined, and still frustrated.

Somewhere back in time, an explosion occurs. Arthur curses. His robe stinks of the fire it was just consumed in. For now it's still relatively intact. The brown creaking wood, the dim light of just candles, the smell of magic, and the stench of failure fill the air. The old shack he performs wizardry in might as well be his home for how much time he spends there. The day had already left him, and finding his way back to his house would be impossibly annoying now. He sits in a corner contemplating what to do. This portal should have been a success. The mirror should be a portal now to the boy killed in his name. He'd found out that the boy would be reborn hundreds of years from now. The same would also occur to everyone he knew in the present. That's where the spirit of his friend resided, in another time, but he couldn't wait. He couldn't chance not being able to see him in the future, so he must help him in the past.  
Alfred punches the circle in the wall, hand sparking from the unknown circuits and electrons that flow through his blood. A thin layer of glass shatters, and the blood of that primitive DNA drips out of scratches on the poor boy's hands. All he wanted was some hope, something to keep him going, to keep him alive. He slides to the floor, blood staining the lit, and semi-shattered wall before him. Feeling something well up inside him, he is forced to identify this emotion as sadness. Or maybe it's pain. It's hard to know with so many programs running around in your mind. He also doesn't know that his blood is making it to the other side. The pages of spells by Arthur's side begin bleeding, a blue spark flickering over certain letters and words in Latin.  
"Ugg!" Arthur screams in frustration. Calming himself down he takes a close look at the mirror, muttering to himself. "Mirrors are natural made portals. Since I've found that time repeats itself, and mirrors are known to be portals to the afterlife, they must also be portals to the past and future!" Seeing no chips on the surface he sighs and sets it down gently. If he truly had much more faith in this theory he would not look at it at night, or keep it so close to him, but his mother had given it to him when he was young, and he cherished it. He believed no evil spirits could come out of it; and if spirits from the "afterlife" came out of it, it's probable they were actually from the future; and thus, might be helpful with his research; but this was all thought fit for daydreaming.

"It's so late, and I can't go home to sleep," he spoke into the night air softly, "I might as well recheck my measurements, and maybe fix the pentagram."

He opened his book, and suddenly a light erupted from its pages. Right in the middle page of the thick, withered book to be exact. A sad voice of a whimpering boy is heard from the pages, taken completely over by white. The light begins to dim down, and intricate blue squares and rectangles begin to take shape. Soon, he finds the shapes to be part of the floor in a room. One dark shape stands out. His eyes catch a trail of red blood leading across the floor to a hand. That hand is connected to the shape of a boy, hunched over on the floor. A hand covers his face, as well as familiar blond strands of hair. Besides the few streaks of blue, he looks like a copy image of his friend.

"Ælfreed? Ælfreed? Is that you?" Slamming his face into the book he smiles. He looks around. He's still in the same dim room. He curses. It must not be a portal, which he can travel through. "Ælfreed! Look at me!" He yells out trying to catch the other boy's attention. Finally He looks up. Piercing blue eyes, just like he remembered. He looks up into the circle of light blue on his wall and smiles.

"It really worked!? Oh my God! Am I talking to _The _Arthur Kirkland!?" He exclaims, jumping to his feet. He wipes his tears away. "Dude how did you know my name!? Well, my name-ish. You're saying it kind of funny it's pronounced 'Alfred'. Aw man, who am I kidding!? I'm Talking to **Arthur Kirkland**!" Electricity flows from his fingertips with joy. He shakes it off with a shameful grin, hiding his hands behind his back.

"_The_ Arthur Kirkland? Yes I am Arthur Kirkland, but your name is Ælfreed." Arthur says stubbornly. "I'm so amazed. My book's become a portal! I must research this more." He fumbles out a piece of paper and jots down some notes quickly. "Is your life nice in the future? It must be nicer than now."

"W-well it's great! Compared to your time, we've come along way. We've developed electricity, made phones, microchips, apps; our cars can defy gravity, and improvement installments. None of it I get to use, but it's fascinating. Lets see, what else..." Alfred puts a hand on his chin and begins to think of more things to add to his list.

"Hmm? What's this Electricity you speak of? And what are cars, and I have a way to defy gravity with magic! I have no clue what most of what you're "inventions" are, but they sound interesting, although I am more concerned as to whether you know how to make a portal to transport matter..."

"Hell, that's easy! Portals are thing of the past. Everyone has improvements now." Alfred says, sitting down and crossing his legs. He lifts his hands, sparks flying from them. The circular screen he sees Arthur through is now off the wall and floating in the air in front of him. He holds it in his hands, staring at the man on the other side. "You're a lot younger looking in the photos." He mumbles, gazing at the floating image before him.

"Excuse me, for I have just witnessed a huge explosion and haven't slept in over 24 hours," he scowls. "I don't exactly feel ravishing let alone look it." He calms down and sighs, his green eyes softening to the younger look he was used to. "It's nice to see you again. I missed you."

"Am I missing something? We just met... right? I mean, I Googled you ass a lot, I feel like I know you. But we've never met 'till now."

"Er, you're- we're- you- we were good friends. Until," he pauses biting his lips, "Until you died."

"Are you referring to the witch trials of 1692? Are you... Are you in them right now?" Alfred asks, sadly. "That was a very lonely time for you... I'm so, so sorry."

"I just... I'm sorry that because of me you're not hear anymore... but you said you had ways to transport matter? Like through space through information? Magic maybe?"

"Technology. That's what we use. But it's also why I'm stuck here. Much like the witches and warlocks of your society, there are people like me in my society that have a certain gene. Were hunted for it, because we threaten others." He looks down sadly, away from the warlock. His voice suddenly sounds different, with an electronic undertone from his normal, warm and happy voice. "I'm really sorry about this. I'm trying to suppress my emotions but my brain doesn't compute. It's fighting with the microchip. Hold on." He instructs with his strange voice. Alfred then grabs his head, sparks flying from his fingertips and all around his head. The glasses on his face break from a quick shock of electricity. He jumps, it startling him. The sudden jolt snaps him out of it. In a flash, the dancing blue sparks are gone. He removes his glasses with a frown. "Dam it not again." He curses, his voice returning to normal.

Eyes wide Arthur crawls backwards slamming into the wall dropping and staring at the book. "Were you just possessed"

"No, it's nothing like that I swear. It would be a lot easier if you understood." Alfred splits the screen in half. One side shows him, and the other side he displays a document for kids explaining electricity. "You're a smart man I'm sure you'll catch on real quick. With this, we created a chip, a microchip, which you can place in your brain. Once it's in, you can install improvements. The chip controls your brain waves to help you do so. Say you want to eat better. You install that program and the chip manipulates your brain to make you eat better things. The only problem is, the more programs installed the less human like you become. Your emotions tend to go first. You don't have to think for yourself anymore. My parents both had these chips, and I somehow inherited the traits of their improvements. Electrons, and all this other stuff," Alfred explains, highlighting the word as he talks along. "as shown in the doc, flow through our veins. That's how it works." He stops talking to watch Arthur scan the article with confusion and wonder. "I had a chip put in my brain when I was three. I didn't have a choice. Because of my deformity, the government took me away from my parents and locked me away in here. The chip is there so they can watch over me. Literally get inside my mind and try to control it to believe whatever they want. In a way, they tried to possess me, but I have learned how to control it."

"I think I get it, but this is all so magnificent. I barely dream of making objects fly, and you can put chips in brains?! Although I'm curious why you're putting chips in people's heads... How are potatoes going to watch people? I guess it could kind of make sense. Potatoes do have eyes... It seems electricity works a bit like magic seems to share some of the same properties."

"No! Not like that!" Alfred giggles, pulling up another document for him to read. He smiles at his intrigued expression, running over the words of science. "Arthur I'm so glad you're here. I adore you and your work, I really do. I feel honored to talk to you. And now... I'm not so lonely."

"Hmmm, well Ælfreed, I'm glad you're here too, but I'm curious why you would call configurations of metal and plastic potatoes... I'll roll with it, you are in the future after all." Arthur pauses for a long moment almost dreading to say what's on the tip of his tongue. He says it anyway, "So are you happy there? In that world?"

"I..." Alfred stops. He knows that if Arthur's was a government official, he'd have to lie and says he's happy. Lie about his true feelings and smile as if it's all right. "I'm not. To be honest I hate it. It's like torture. Sure, the walls are computer screens and all that, I can look up whatever I want and know all about it, but I can never feel it. Its like saying 'See all this wonderful stuff outside? Do you want it? Too bad!' They do have simulations. I think I'm supposed to have one tonight. Did the sun already set?" He asks, standing. With sparks from his fingers he leads the floating circle, so Arthur is on to the wall. He stretches his image so he's bigger, taking up about a 4th of the wall. Now, on Arthur's pages Alfred appears smaller, getting a better idea of the size of the room he's in. It's roomy, and obnoxiously too big for man to live in all by himself.

"Well I wish I had all that space for Alchemy, but, to be honest I'm glad you said you didn't like it so now we need a plan to get you here. Do you have any ideas?"

"Arthur, I can't leave. If I do I'll die."

"What do you mean you'll die? How will you die if you come into my time? No one will follow you! You have to come to me." Arthur's tone and eyes became more pleading with every word, ending with emerald eyes near tears staring back at Alfred from the mechanical screen.

"They give me medicine, daily. If I don't get it I'll die. I get shots. Sometimes, if I'm doing badly, they put a gas in the room to help me breathe better. It usually clears out by the afternoon, and that's when they can run the simulations." He shrinks the screen again and stands beside it. He seems about the same size as him now. He clears away the text he gave him and places his hand on the screen. "Believe me, if I could be with you, I would in a heartbeat."

"But, you would die? Is the air poisonous where you're from? I-I" A single tear falls from the eyes towards the book but Arthur wipes it away before he could even risk it touching the precious parchment. "I got you back, but I don't have you."

Alfred places his forehead on the screen, nuzzling it.

"Soon, someday, we'll be together." He tells him sadly. His hand on the screen begins to spark. With a startling jolt he pulls it back. "Ooops." The white walls that surround him turn blue, the various electronic work shown on the floor glows brighter. "Shit. Arthur, your going to have to hide somehow or they'll take you away from me!" Alfred quickly makes the portal smaller, and stands in front of it. "No, that's not going to work. What if they beat me? Um..." He mumbles, turning to face the screen again. Waving a hand in front of him, documents flood the walls around him. Deleting a few, he leaves up the ones about Arthur and place them around the portal in such a way that it looks like just another document. "You have to say really quiet! Maybe, act like a picture or hold up one? Anything!" He begs, his fingers sparking uncontrollably now.

"Ack!" Britain sets the book down and takes out the mirror admiring it in a way that he can see the book and what's going on. _Oh god, I'm going to be stuck like this for a while... _he thought with an inward groan. The door opens, making a loud noise and echoing through the silent room. Alfred smiles warmly, but only Arthur can tell it's fake.

"Everything ok in here?" A voice asks, entering the room. He has a cloth tied over his nose and mouth.

"Yeah I'm fine. The uh, the alarm really wasn't necessary I just had to avoid a virus is all."

"I see. Looking up that warlock again are ya?"

"Yup!" Alfred chirps. "So do I get another dose or, is there a simulation tonight?"

"No and yes. Your medicine didn't come in for tonight so we're hoping the simulation will make up for that. For tonight: the desert. Most people can't even enjoy this in the real world right now, so you're lucky." As he explains this to Alfred, he types in a code to the wall. He's uncomfortably close to the portal. He stops, and stares at it. "Did that just blink?" He asks, touching it and moving it around.

"I-it's a GIF! D-don't touch it please!"

I begin to blink every few moments in time, catching on quickly.

"Wow, quite accurate. Whatever, I know your protective of your research, especially of this guy. Good night, enjoy the desert." He waves his hand, and the screens around me turn into a desert setting behind the pages of work on them. As soon as he's gone, I start deleting the pages. "You're free to move now."

"Oh god I thought I'd never get to scratch this itch!" He quickly scratches his nose for relief. Looking into the book more closely he gasps, "You're in the desert! What is this wizardry? How did you get there without me seeing any traces of magic but that code!?"

"Its not real, it just artwork displayed on the wall. I wouldn't last long if I was in a real desert." Alfred giggles. "So, this is where I shall sleep. Under the LED stars of the ceiling." He sighs, lying down by the wall. He pulls the portal down to his side so he can talk still. He lies on his side, facing those green eyes. "Where do you sleep?" He asks, looking around the wizard's surroundings.

"Er, I usually sleep at my 'house', but I stayed too late here to go back to my house, so I guess I'm sleeping in this shack. He folds out the rather large book so that he can sleep using the other half of the book almost like a pillow. "Hah, if I look only at the book it's as though we're sleeping in the same bed," his green eyes soften sadly. "I miss that so much. I want to see and touch and smell you again. Oh, how many times can I tell you I miss you?" He sighs sadly, "But you probably wouldn't understand would you? The only way to describe how I feel right now is to say that the feeling you have constantly of being able to see and not touch is magnified a million times over."

"So, these are feelings? Emotions, right? I'm not sure what they are besides a dictionary definition. Emotions: A natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others." Alfred nods, thinking a little. "Tell me more about these?"

"Didn't you say you were born with all your upgrades? Shouldn't you then still have your emotions?"

"Believe me, there still there. I don't get to use them very much, so, I'm not sure what they are, even if I am experiencing them. How do they feel?"

"I'm sorry, they're impossible to describe. I take it poetry and music are no longer popular in your time? I wonder what music would sound like without a soul driving it. I wonder what things would taste like without memories tainting them for better or for worse. I wonder, is the sunset even beautiful without the emotions drawn from them, and I wonder most of all, can you even feel what you touch? Does warmth exist to a soul who doesn't know love?"

"So it's all that? Then I'm feeling them right now!" Alfred smiles. "I feel tingly inside, that's normal right?" Alfred sounds excited, but looks tired. He yawns, still listening. He listens as if these emotions are like a bedtime story, like a fairy tale to a young child.

"I'm glad humanity hasn't lost its humanity." Arthur yawned as well. "Well if you had a day as busy and eventful as I have then I'm sure you're tired too. I wish I could stay up longer," he yawned even larger than his friend. His eyes grow droopier.

"Yeah! Using emotions is tough work!" Alfred smiled and looked back.

For a moment they just took in the other tired soul wondering what they were thinking until both of their eyes closed to images of the other's angelic portrait.

Arthur's last feeling before he finally fell asleep was a smooth and cold object gently sliding toward his grasp as he gently caressed its surface.


	2. Another Love

**Capri: I'm so sorry we haven't posed recently! School stared and I thought Avalon was gonna post, but she didn't 'cuz she had to talk with me first and then I forgot so ya… I apologize. It's mostly because of school. Doesn't help that we go to two different schools, either. Blame the system! Just kidding! * Sips tea calmly, ending in a spit take.* ERMAHGERD! I forget to mention we're hinting at Gertalia here! **

**Avalon: HEY! No spoilers! **

**Capri: B-but…! **

**Avalon: Leave, now. Before you say anymore! Just, drink your tea and bother dad!**

**Capri: Witch one? **

**Avalon: The gay one! *Sigh * Enjoy the chapter!**

Arthur looked around to see a sun burnt land with stars that seemed to float only a few feet out of reach above his head. It was like the desert he'd seen in Alfred's room. The smoothness of the floor cooled his feet and made him feel as though he stood on ice. Seeing his feet on the sandy dune illusion made him feel a little delusional. It felt so smooth and looked so rough like the sand of only the driest desert can. _Where am I? _ He thought looking around. In this land even the edges of the sky seemed burnt. The horizon still had some red embers glowing in it.

Wait.

Was that smoke? It was. He ran toward it hoping to find another soul in this deserted place. The space between him and the fire seemed to be longer than it looked, and it felt as though the fire was getting further and further away. When it felt as though he would never make it, the fire came closer into view.

There stood a boy with his back to the fire.

"How could you do this to me?" The silhouette asked solemnly.  
"What have I done to you little boy?" Arthur asked smiling awkwardly in confusion at the little boy's inquiry.  
"How could you let me burn?" The silhouette slowly became clearer, though it only looked familiar to Arthur now.  
"But you're not burning."  
"But you let them burn me! You let them burn me instead of you! You practiced magic!" The boy finally calmed down and whispered strongly. "You got me killed." The boy was Ælfreed.  
"No! I didn't mean to! I never intended-" Arthur was cut off.  
"You got me killed!" The boy stepped back into the fire.  
"No! Don't go into the fire!" Arthur was too late as he lunged, and as the boy was consumed by the mass of the fire, the same screams he had heard in reality echoed in his head. All that was left of the boy was a skull and bones. Arthur collapsed to the ground holding the skull tightly and weeping. "I didn't mean to. I'm going to bring you back, and you won't die. You won't die."

Arthur awoke clutching a skull and screamed. With this Alfred was startled, and Arthur nearly flung the skull out of his hand before he realized what it was. In mid throw he set down the skull. It had a nasty habit of appearing in random places like in his arms as he slept and that kind of thing. The skull was from the day of the witch trials when Ælfreed had gotten caught instead of him and burned at the stake with many others. Arthur couldn't watch and had fled in shame that it wasn't he, the actual wizard, up on those stakes, but he couldn't bring himself to defy Ælfreed's wish. Ælfreed's last words to him had been, "If you turn yourself in they'll only convict both of us. You can still live! You can still be happy, and I'll look down on you from heaven. You better be happy, because that'll make me the happiest angel in heaven, got it? I love you, babe." There had been at least 20 burnings at that very same stake, and 20 bodies and skulls at the base of it. Arthur couldn't linger long after the burning. He looked quickly and, on faith, chose a skull. At first he hadn't known why he'd grabbed a skull, but he told himself he'd give Ælfreed a real burial, but here was the skull still not buried, and still somehow by his side. He didn't know why he had it anymore, but he didn't question it. This was just one of those things.

His eyes turn to the book, to check of Alfred is awake. That shriek certainly should have woken him. As he looks, he finds the boy had only stirred. It's quiet in the room, both sharing silence. Just like his lover, he can sleep through anything. His pleasant sleeping face seems to sooth him. A reassuring snort follows after, nearly making the warlock giggle. He just smiles. He hopes this one can understand him. He's going to have to teach him a lot, just like he had before with Ælfreed when he was young. This poor boy doesn't even know how to react with other humans well. He doubts that he understands, let alone feel the same way as he does. He's not even sure why he desired to go to the past for him in the first place. As he sleeps, Arthur hears another sound that should have woken him: The voices of people talking. Blue squares open up in the simulated night sky, above Alfred on the opposite wall. The silhouettes of people pass by, and stop to look inside at him.  
"So this is the boy?" A German accented voice asks. At the same time, a head turns to someone in the next blue square.  
"Yeah, this is he." The other voice replies, sounding more mature than the other, but still German. "He's hopelessly devoted to this warlock from the 17th century. I suspect that's an animation of him he's been working on."  
"He's sleeping with it? Freak." The adolescent scoffs.  
"It has raised concerns. We don't know what's going on in that brain of his. Earlier today we had to enter the room because of an emotional spike. We found he had articles of the warlock completely covering the wall. We gave him this simulation of the desert so he'd want to stop his studies and enjoy it. Seemed like it worked, the papers are gone. But now he's sleeping with an animation." The mature one explains. "I say we just let him do whatever, even if his obsession is a little unhealthy. What are we gonna do? Prescribe another drug for that?"  
"It's weird. I think your wasting the government's money on this guy. Honestly, you should just put him down."  
"We can't legally do that. Sure, we killed the others but that's because they fought us. It was self defense."  
"Oh I see... The human tazer case? Yeah, I gotcha." He agrees, his silhouette nodding.  
_But __Ælfreed can't defy them. He'll die in the outside world. Or will he? If only he'd listen about finding a matter transmitter... But how can they think of killing Ælfreed? What risk is he to them? Are there more people like him? What's going on here... If I need to keep acting like one of these "GIFS" much longer I'm going to sneeze or something... Ælfreed_ _wake up! They won't talk about killing you with you awake! _Poor stuck Arthur thought.  
"Common, let me show you the others. They're not as interesting though."  
"What ever." Soon, the two shadows move away, and the blue squares disappear.  
"Oh god," Arthur sighs in relief. "Wake up please darling? Wake up please, before they come back for some reason! OH FOR GOODNESS SAKE WAKE UP!" Arthur screamed at Alfred, and he finally was startled awake.  
"What!? GIANT HAMBURGER! Oh, hey British dude." He screams, calming down.  
Arthur closes his eyes and rests his palm on his forehead with a resounding smack, and a look of disappointment. "Hamburgers? How do you sleep so soundly while people plot killing you?"  
"What are you talking about?" Alfred asks, sitting up and rubbing his head. He props himself up on his side with his elbow.  
"I'm talking about those silhouettes on the ceiling talking about killing you because they feel you're a waste of money! Also, apparently people like you can exist outside those walls. They were talking about a "human tazer". Do you know anything about it?  
"Lemme find out." Alfred sits up and waves his hand in front of him. A keyboard appears under his fingers. He types with lightning speed and soon, articles glow in front of his face. "Well, He has the same structure as me... He escaped here, and then electrocuted people with his powers." At that moment, Alfred's fingers spark. "He lasted 42 hours outside before shot down by officials. He killed about 23, four severely wounded."  
"Whoa, why was he on a killing rampage? And, see, he didn't die of asphyxiation! Does it say anything about that?"  
"Um..." Alfred scans the article. "It says he didn't receive his medicine that day. That's what keeps him stable."  
"You mean he was mentally unstable? You don't seem mentally unstable, so maybe it was just him." Arthur contemplated.

"I... I don't know..." With a violent wave of his hand the keyboard and screen disappear. "I don't want to think about it. I'm scared Arthur. I didn't get my medicine tonight, what if I go nuts!?"

"You won't go nuts. They should already know because of that potato in your brain right? They wouldn't risk the same thing happening to you when you could probably use your magic to make all the locks fall apart and stuff."

"Your so cute when you talk, but your right."

"Hey! I am not cute!" Arthur blushed and quieted." I'm handsome."

"You just," Alfred smiles. His smile is beautiful, so bright. "It sounds different. It's not technical, it's... pure. I love your accent too I've never heard it."

"You've never heard a British accent? Does Great Britain still exist in your time? That's my homeland."

"We do have a Isle of the Brits..."

"It's a rather large island off the coast of another continent? That might be it, though I'm not sure why the name changed..."

"Want a picture?" Soon, a world map is displayed beside Alfred.  
"Are you kidding me? You ninnies. I knew Americans would always be poor with maps, but this is horrid. Here, it doesn't look much different than the one from now." Arthur set the book down and picked up a map of the world he had with Greenwich England smack dab in the center, and the names of nearly every large river in the world as well as capitals of every country known by his people at that time. "See, this is a map."

"Wow... It's beautiful. Dude! Is the land really green? And that big? Woah look at all the different rivers! Tell me, how blue is the water?"

"It's- it's as blue as your eyes, and as shiny as your smile," Arthur said mesmerized by expression of the face before him. Alfred stares back at him, cheeks turning red. He places a hand over his mouth and looks away.

Arthur sighed and looked off to the side his eyes catching themselves on the skull that Alfred couldn't see. "This is terrible," he stated with a depressed tone.

"What is it?" The sun begins to rise in the simulator, lighting up Alfred's face.

Arthur glances back feeling the glow of the magnificently simulated sun touch his face. The black of the sky morphs into purple; purple into red; red into orange; orange into a golden yellow that finally ends at the whiteness of the sun. Yes it was a perfect sunrise. One might call it picture perfect, but it made Arthur sick to look into the portrait in his book. "You're Ælfreed but you're not my Ælfreed, and I want you to be mine so badly. I want you to be right beside me just like I remember you, but you can't, because you're not my Ælfreed." He kept his gaze away sadly for fear of acting too emotional in front of someone who would probably never understand. Arthur went on daring not to look into the portrait to see the reaction of the person on the other side. "And you're beautiful just like him, and you talk just like him, and you act just like him, and you call me cute just like he did even though he knew it annoyed me sort of, and are horrible with maps just like him, but you're still not mine. It's hard to make myself understand that one part."

"That doesn't mean I can't still be yours, right? I'm not sure how to explain this, but um..."

Arthur chances a glance up at him blushing even more, but soon looks away again. He's just too beautiful with the sun behind him lighting him up.

Alfred stops and thinks. He's genuinely trying to think of how people react in this situation. "I want to have what you had with him. Sure, it might be different and it might be hard, but if you just work with me, I can figure it out. I..." Alfred sighs, frustrated with his lack of knowledge on feelings. "I guess I'm saying, I love you?" He doesn't know it, but he wanted to make that question a statement so bad. He's cursing himself out that he made it a question, but he meant every word of it. "I'm not just saying that..." He adds, panicking from the silence coming from the warlock. "Arthur please, talk to me."

"I love you too." Arthur manages to whisper out finally being able to look into the sky blue eyes of Alfred's. He couldn't say anything more, and he wished right now, at that moment, more than anything in the world, to be with _this_ Alfred. He wanted to hug him and kiss him and show him what love felt like. "I love you too, and I know what you're saying," Arthur lets his lips mold into a cute kissable smile, "After all, you never were that eloquent."

Overcome with emotion, and all these feelings welling up inside, Alfred leans in. He becomes closer, and closer. From the looks of it, he's going in for a kiss. His lips appear so close to the warlocks, only inches away. Little does he know, the wall is even closer. CLANK! His forehead hits the wall, it sparking in response from the action. He winces and rubs his head with a pout.

"Aw~ I forgot about that wall... It 'cuz my glasses broke! ...That's a lie I really wanted to kiss you just then."

Arthur giggles from his place on the other side of his book.

"We need to be in the same time period before we actually can kiss silly but- I guess- If you're willing to try- a first-ish kiss- well-" Arthur stops stuttering and slowly leaned into the book. Being gentle with the pages, he presses his lips against the book practically begging for Alfred to do the same. Just as Alfred touches the glass of the wall Arthur feels a little static shock and, surprised, jolts away from the book. Alfred looks at him worriedly. What was that, static? Was it just coincidence? Was it Alfred somehow, or maybe it was the spark of love that can transcend time and space. Arthur just chalked it up to coincidence and made a mental note to beware that his book may have become electrified.

"Er, sorry... I think." Alfred squeaks out.

"It's fine, just static. I just hope they don't monitor you 24/7 and watch that. That could be awkward."

"I don't care." Alfred giggles. "Let them see. Let the whole world see! Everyone should be able to feel as happy as you make me!"

"Seeing people kiss these "GIFS" are normal? They said you sleeping with one made you a freak so I think it isn't." Arthur paused. "But seeing you kiss me in real life would probably still be weird, wouldn't it be? Even in my time we couldn't kiss in public." Arthur moped at the sad reality.

"Yeah but everyone already thinks I'm a freak I wouldn't see much of a difference."

"In my time they kill you for being too much of a freak," Arthur paused sucking in a large breath of air to calm him, "That's what lead to your death. You kissing me in public."  
"You could kiss me all you want here. Sure, they'd stare, but they wouldn't kill you for it. The most they'd think is that you didn't get an improvement yet. And its true. There are a lot of unhappy people out there... I've read a lot of cases about it. Headlines that say 'Renowned Doctor's Son Orders Homosexual Improvement.' It's sad cause I know he'll never truly be happy."  
"That's really sad. I wonder if he'll ever find anyone." Arthur couldn't imagine not being able to find true love.  
"That's the thing we don't worry about that here. We only worry about social status. That boy will be put with the daughter of another well known doctor and they will procreate."  
"How can you not worry about that? Can't you feel anything?! Wait don't answer that. I guess things like that happen in my time, but we're not so scientific about it. We have arranged marriages sometimes and usually they go over pretty well, but we don't make someone the way we want them to be. Maybe humanity really lost its humanity, and it ends with you, the last human being to be able to feel a thing. Maybe there's no hope for the future." Arthur droned on depressingly.

"I have you to thank. Without you, I don't know where I'd be."

"You'd be in that little room for the rest of your life till they killed you." Arthur replied like a bit of a smart mouth. "But I don't know where I'd be. Probably stuck doing the same thing I am now except I wouldn't have any results, and eventually I'd just work myself to death, but I'm probably still going to do that till you're actually with me. There must be a way to bring us together. We will unite the past, present, and future. We have to."

Arthur and Alfred went on with this need to see each other and started concocting a plan, a very risky plan.


	3. Can a Sunset Even be Beautiful?

"No! You can't make me! I don't want to! I'M PERFECTLY FINE! LUDWIG!" Feliciano screams. His father's guards have picked him up by his arms, dragging him down the long white hospital halls. He kicks and screams, reaching out for his lover: Another man. This is exactly what brought him into this mess. That man can bring him so much happiness, but also so much pain.  
"Feliciano!" The man screams out running toward him. The despicable father figure of the other man looked back and scoffed with his eyes. He told the guards to bring Feliciano into another room. One that looked reinforced like every other room, so that situations like this don't happen. Luckily for Ludwig the large amount of guards and Feliciano's struggling made them just slow enough that he could catch them before they got in the doors and away from him.  
"I just need to speak with Feliciano!" Ludwig exclaimed out of breath. Seeing him gives the restrained boy enough strength to break free. He runs toward Ludwig and flings himself in his arms.

"Please! Don't let them take me!" He pleads, holding on as tight as he can.

Ludwig squeezed him tightly and doesn't speak. He just savors the feel of the Italian boy in his arms. " I can't keep you from getting that chip. I love you though, and there are always stories of love transcending anything, right? Just promise me you'll always love me. Promise me you won't hate me."

"I could never hate you! I promise I'll love you forever! Don't give up on me!" He cries, the guards grabbing him and trying to pull him away. Then, he dares to kiss the blonde in public. Their lips crash together in a hot, heated, panicked kiss.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" His father yells. Feliciano hesitantly lets go, pulled into the room. His chocolate brown eyes looking into the light blue ones of his lover's.

"I love you Ludwig. I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." he calls after.

The door shut in Ludwig's face. The strong burly man clung to it. He would find a way to get into the operation office he clung to it and cried. He had never cried before, even when he was young. He was just that kind of man, but now, now he cried. He cried for letting go of the other boy. He cried for his own weakness. He cried for having probably put someone else through the same exact thing, him being a doctor and all. He cried for not being good enough for his love. He cried because he couldn't do a thing as they ruined his sweet, kind, innocent mind.

He cried because it was the only thing to do.

Operations in this age and time were fast. It was only an hour lying near that door till it opened after he'd been banging on it the entire time. He had known it wouldn't result in anything but when the door opened and he fell through he saw his love, just seeming to get out of the anesthesia. He ran into the room, his reddened tearless eyes allowing some hope into them.

"Feliciano!" He exclaimed.

"Get away from my son, filth." His father orders, nudging him away with his cane. He helps his son sit up from the operating table.

"I am not filth." Ludwig said turning towards him slightly. "Filth is what keeps lovers apart." Ludwig gently placed a hand on Feliciano's shoulder. Slowly he opened his eyes, still dazed from the anesthesia. Ludwig gasped. They were no longer coffee brown. No, calm vibrant violet eyes are what greeted him from his lover's eyelids. "Feli?" He asked quietly, scared of the reply.

"I..." He looks away, not wanting to deal with him. "Daddy, take me home." He orders, following him out.

"Feliciano, I still love you. You can't let them get to you! You have to listen to me!" Ludwig begged.

"I don't even know why I touched you! That was gross! GET. AWAY. FROM ME."

"Feliciano... please listen to me!"

"_You_ listen to _me_! Get away before I call security!" He orders, and at that moment, the guards swarm him.

"I love you Feli!" Ludwig falls as the guards pull him down.

One guard somehow managed to land near his head and growled in his ear as he struggled. "Stop struggling, or we'll kill you."

Feeling broken, lost, and defeated he let them take him. They brought him back to the very same institute where they kept Alfred. Gilbert, a strong, tall young looking white haired, red-eyed fellow stood at the doors waiting for him.

Gilbert sighed, "Are you okay, West?" He used the loving old pet name for his brother. Ludwig didn't replay. The guards spoke words. Gilbert spoke back. It all flew over Ludwig's head.

Gilbert sighed once more and tried to coax out a response from his brother. "We're going to put you in one of the solitary rooms till you cool off okay? I don't want you doing anything stupid."

"Me, stupid? Look who's talking." Ludwig said in a monotone staring at the ground.

Gilbert looked helplessly at his brother. "Don't worry. They won't press charges. I won't let them take your job either. It'll be okay West." Gilbert helped his brother to his feet. "My awesome brother doesn't deserve to be dragged you mongrels. He's too proud for that." The guards still hung onto him, but he followed willingly.

Gilbert stopped by the door. He looked painfully at his brother and then in a most hesitant and painful way he opened the door.

Ludwig walked in. Gilbert closed it. The white room enveloped him. He let it.

Gilbert sighed outside the room. "That must be the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

The guards all looked at him brainlessly. They'd lost so much of their feeling they appeared as though they had no souls.

"You guys have no reply to the awesome me?" Gilbert asked frustrated.

"No sir." They replied in sync.

"Go back to your hell hole and die or something." Gilbert commanded.

The guards walked out without a word.

With one last exasperated sigh Gilbert pressed his weight against the door and slid down it to the floor to contemplate for a while what might be going through his brother's mind.

Feliciano's head feels heavy as he makes his way to his room. The guards follow him until he's safely inside. He sighs and sits on his bed, not exactly enjoying the pressure on his head. He knows it won't last long; it's a part of the procedure. When he wakes up tomorrow, he won't feel it. He looks around his expensive room. The crystal chandelier in the center lights it, tinting the cream colored walls with a bluish hue it gives off. He lies back in his circle shaped bed, short brown hair scattered among the satin white sheets. He knows he used to make love in that bed with Ludwig. The thought seems to have no effect on him. Not even bringing sadness, or disgust. He looks to his side, where a half finished canvas lays of a beautiful sunset.

_Without love or emotions, can a sunset even be beautiful? _

He picks up the canvas and sets it on an easel. Grabbing a color pallet and electronic brush, he stands in front of the work ready to get started. Tapping the brush on an orange spot on the color pallet, the bristles turn to that color. He holds the brush to the canvas and stops. He freezes, staring at the canvas blankly.

An Asian butler walks in the door. "Feliciano your father sent me to check on you. Is all well?"

Feliciano stared back with no reply. Even the brightness in his eyes couldn't hide the apathy behind them.

"You are physically fine, are you not, sir?" The butler asked.

"Kiku," he paused still staring at the easel, "Do you know how many chips I have? I've lost count."

"The last one was your fourth." Kiku stood uncomfortably by the edge of the door waiting for a response. The Italian stops what he's doing and begins putting his paints away. The Japanese butler watches him in shock. If the Italian isn't painting, he's with Ludwig. If he's not Ludwig, he's painting. He sits down, and stares out the window with an emotionless expression.

"I can feel myself losing emotion. I feel as though I should be sad, but my brain tells me otherwise." He tells him.

"Sir, you put down the paints?" The Japanese man stops to think about what he should say. Being a humble servant first he asks, "Would you like me to put the paints away? Or," being human he goes on, "is there any way I can help you, young sir? This is not normal of you."

"Just put them away it's pointless." Feliciano tells him. He glances at him with his new, purple eyes, waiting for him to do his job.

He picks up the paints, "You feel nothing?" On the inside the Japanese man panics. The Italian boy must be his only friend in this house of pompous bastards. It would be sad to lose him. Suddenly going on instinct his calm exterior reacts. "Then I guess it wouldn't matter if I finished this painting." He picked up the brush and palette slowly and purposefully pressing it to the palette. He ever so slowly contemplates what to paint. He hopes that the other boy won't snap. No one but him ever touched his palette or brush. Kiku had once put it away one night when the Italian had forgotten and fallen asleep. Veneziano had gone into such a panic that he went rushing around, trying to find and convict someone for stealing his "most precious possessions".

"That's fine I don't care." With that, he turns back to the window, expressionless. He sighs, "Wait, you might to um, put a little more rays on the sun where I left off." He shakes his head and stands. "What am I saying? Gimme those!" Feliciano takes the art materials from the Asian and sits next to him at the painting. He holds the palate incorrectly and stares at its position in his arm. His expression shows that he knows it's wrong, but doesn't know how to fix it.

The Asian watches unsure what to do. He's seen the Italian paint enough that he knows how he should hold it, but doesn't know if he should fix it or leave it. He decides to say this in the most sincere voice, "That's quite an interesting way to hold that, though usually you hold it with the yellow closest to you, and so that you can reach every color without reaching over yourself. Is that a new technique?"

"No... Kiku, show me." He orders, looking at the man. At least he's showing emotion now. He's showing that he's frustrated with himself.

Shocked that the gentle Italian would seem so worked up he gently moves the palette into position. He takes the other hand and fixes the way he holds the brush. "I remember you always start with the brightest, lightest color," he says softly trying to calm him into his happy self. Feliciano takes a breath, and tries to paint. He's using the brush more like a crayon. He scrubs the color in canvas roughly. Unhappy with the outcome he gets even madder. He looks almost like a kid just learning what art even is and trying to paint. This boy spoiled with talent suddenly loses it all, and as he tries to regain it, throws a tantrum.

"If you know how to do it, then go ahead!" He yells, knocking over the painting and throwing materials. "Kiku I order you to clean this up. I can't stand to look at it. IT'S AS UGLY AS LOVE!" He screams. He sits on the floor, back against his bed. He grabs his head and curls into a ball.

Kiku examines the situation well. There are some ups and downs to this, one of them being there's now paint on his uniform. At least the boy can feel now, he focuses himself back on the big picture rather than wondering how he would fix his uniform. Hoping that no one downstairs was alarmed at the ruckus, Kiku sighed. He picked up the paints and set them down somewhere safe while he walked over to Veneziano. "Is your head alright, young sir? Would you like medicine? Would you like to see anyone?"

"No, my head is not ok! My head has a chip in it that destroys all that I am!" He cries out. A hand shoots from his head to Kiku's arm. He holds it tightly, whimpering as he does so. Finally he looks up at him. His purple eyes are a shade darker than usual, brown trying to fight its way in. "Medicine will only make it worse. Don't tell anyone. Please, you're all I have now. You're the only person I can't trust. Don't let me lose…well, me." He pleads, screaming, as the pain in his head gets worse. He releases Kiku's hand to return to his head, bearing down on it hard as pain throbs through it.

"Yes sir," replied the servant. He places a comforting hand on the boy. "I believe I know someone who can help you. Tell me when I may leave for a while, and don't tell your father, yes?"

"Ok, you can leave tonight when everyone is asleep." Feliciano tells him. He leans into the hand, a tear falling down. "Sit with me."

Kiku sits down careful not to get any more paint on his clothing. He puts an arm around Veneziano and simply sits with him.


	4. A Death Date With a French Boy

**Avalon: Hello! Welcome to Chapter 4 of Antiholic. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Capri: O.e Why do you sound like a robot or one of those greeting ladies in stores?**

**Avalon: Shut your bloody trap, it's called being formal.**

**Capri: Was that formal? You have a really warped sense of formal if it was.**

**Avalon: I hate you… so much.**

**Capri: I LOVE YOU TOO!XD!one!**

Alfred awakes in the middle of the day, wondering why neither his doctor, nor his lover woke him. The simulator has already gone away, and he's stuck in his boring white room once again. Usually at seven on the dot his doctor wakes him to give him his medicine. The screen he fell asleep to only shows the room on the other side.

"Arthur?" He asks, looking inside. Panicked, he checks the date on a piece of screen next to it. "No...no!" He begins to panic. He looks up various documents about the warlock, and all say the same date: today is his death day. His fingers begin sparking like mad. He deletes the documents and stands, starting to pace. The walls begin to spark, the room turning blue in warning of an emotional spark. Panels in the floor begin to break and spark. The door flies open, and Ludwig runs in.

"Francis! The witch burnings are doing great! I'm astounded you found that Alfraed kid! There have been so many fewer complaints about magical misgivings going on! I'm proud of you son," The Mayor of the small town Arthur congratulated his son, Francis Bonefoy.

Francis smiled and whipped a golden lock of hair out of his face. He had lived in France with his mother's family for most of his life, but now that his father had found roots here, this is where he lived. He was just getting congratulated for sentencing one of his own friends to death. Since coming to live here that's been his job, and needless to say, it's become scarring. His mother had died when he was young and his mother's family took him in while his father found a place to live. He had always been spoiled with material items, but he was disliked in his mom's family who only saw him as a burden, and only took him because it would be bad for the family name if they didn't. Needless to say he was not very loved, and as soon has his father wrote saying how Francis would be of use for him, they sent him away.

"However! There still is that Arthur boy. There's something wrong with him. The warlock was caught kissing him in public, so there must be something different about him. You should see if he's gay, and if he is, we'll have to burn him."

"Yes Father," Francis nodded smiling. His job if you haven't guessed is to go to people, and see if he can dig up the dirt on them to get them burned at the steak. Checking for being homosexual was his favorite. All he had to do was walk up to them and kiss them and see if they resisted.

Just as the sun rises in the past before 7, let alone 10, Arthur quickly shuts the his magic book.

"Arthur? Arthur, are you here?" echoes the voice of a young boy.

"No not him! Not this nuisance!" Arthur curses as he steps outside so that the boy wouldn't have an excuse to look inside the shack. Arthur was beginning to look even paler. He'd started forgetting to eat, and he enjoyed every minute.

"Francis, I'm over here." He replied being far enough away from the shack to risk catching the boy's attention.

"Oh Arthur there you are!"

"Yes, what are you here for?" Arthur replied impatiently. Without his lover to distract him he realized he was quite literally starving.

"I wanted to see you." The French accent of the other boy was all too prominent.

"What about?"

"Just let me in?" The boy asks. Arthur doesn't have a choice. If he doesn't let him in the boy won't leave him alone.

"Fine, Francis." He tells him as he leads him inside finally taking notice of the beautiful French boy in the sunlight. The brightness of the outside could have fooled him into thinking they were rays of heaven. Arthur winces and hides under his black jacket. "Why won't the light shut up?" He groans.

"Sorry!" The Frenchman says entering the house and shutting the door of Arthur's house. Suddenly, Arthur doesn't like the idea of being alone in the darkened house with the French boy. Eyes covered with his jacket, he doesn't notice how close the boy becomes until he feels him breathing down his neck. "Sorry, I just couldn't stand the thought of a sweet boy like you all alone. Now that... he passed away... I was wondering if I could take his place in your heart." Arthur feels a hand remove the coat, and another guiding his face toward the other boys. Their lips get closer and closer. The warlock has nearly no time to react, to push him away. He desperately needs to escape or the other will pull him in. He doesn't need that spot replaced; he already has Alfred for that. Heart speeding up, mind racing, Arthur prepares for the impending kiss.

Then, a spark from those British lips startles the Frenchman. He yips and pulls back, throwing Arthur to the ground in shock. Arthur's lips were charged from the 'kiss' with alfred and essentially protected him. Now, he has time to react. Time to tell off the boy with the golden locks as pain and anger builds up from being thrown.

"You git!" Arthur says tears streaming from his eyes from the immediate shock of the fall, and not really from pain. "I don't need anyone to replace him! I'm fine! I certainly don't need you! Now get out!" He yells.

Francis looked astonished. No one had ever not fallen for that, and what the heck was that spark? He'd never felt anything like that. It felt, invigorating. Of course he didn't realize that static electricity did that, and the only things that might be similar in his mind were, "love", and "magic". Too shocked to think about it his mind shoved it to the back of his mind to haunt him later. Defeated, he feels he should leave. His plan foiled. This thought tastes bitter in the mouth of the spoiled boy.

"I guess I was wrong, then." He rises, turning to leave. "By the way, my mom set a basket of leftover rolls on your doorstep." He says coldly. "Good thing too. You're so thin it's disgusting." He begins walking out. "Almost like a skeleton!" He adds, tripping on something as he reaches for the door. When he looks down, he finds it's a skull. He lets out some nervous laughter, stepping around it. "D-don't lose your head now..." He sounds completely creeped out now. Arthur decides to freak him out even more, to ensure he never returns. He looks at the french man dead in the eyes.

"Don't. Touch. My. Lover." he threats, referring to the skull. Francis's eyes shift to it, then back at the warlock. Arthur simply nods; his eyes narrowing as he crosses his arms and taps his foot. After a few seconds of realization, the Frenchman lets out a girly wail and scrambles to leave. He couldn't turn the doorknob fast enough as he runs out, sprinting the entire way home.

"Hah." Arthur laughs nervously talking to the skull, "You are kind of creepy; you know that? You kind of saved me though, so I guess that's okay. How did you get there though? You must tell me how you teleport so well," lifting up the skull his face turns even paler. A rat sat there and squeaked.

"ACK!" Arthur screamed out of surprise to find himself face to face with the nasty furry creature. "Die foul beast!" He yelled grabbing a broom and hitting the spell book off the shelf. It opened to the portal page as it collided with the floor with a resounding thud. Arthur yells and yells, and knocks everything within reach over. Vases fell, and everything became terribly messy; though the mouse was never even hit. It crawled onto the book and looked into the portal curiously. Arthur was busy looking under a couch, and hadn't realized that the book was even open.

He hears Alfred scream on the other side, and the a door slam. That cannot be good.

"Alfred?" Quickly abandoning a search for the mouse, and ironically finding him with the book as he sets the broom down he scowls looking into it. "Alfred are you alright?" Surprised, he finds he's not in the room. He sees the place is trashed. Floor panels have been flung across the room, spark protruding from cracks in the walls, and scratch marks leading to the door. A sunken feeling reaches Arthur's heart.

Taken by Ludwig, Alfred struggles to get free, being dragged by his feet down a hallway of rooms. He screams and kicks, but Ludwig is just too strong. His hands are sparking yards in front of him on the tile of the floor as he's dragged on.  
"Please doc! I don't wanna die!" He pleads the entire way. Ludwig opens the door to another room and the sparking boy into pool. The pool is filled with chunks of ice and snow. immediately, Alfred calms down and starts shivering. He hugs himself and whimpers, the cold burning his skin.  
"I'm not going kill you! You have enough energy stored up to take down this entire buildings systems. Your little break down did enough damage. Listen, I'm not in the mood ok?"

"Y-y-y-y-y-yes s-s-s-s-s-sir!" Alfred stutters.

"Can you feel your legs?" He asks sympathetically.

"Y-yeah I think-"

"Good. Then you need to stay in there a little longer." He tells him, crossing his arms. Alfred groans and continues to whimper, lips turning blue. "Just thought you needed to cool off."

"How cold is this!?"

"Cold enough. Now, I've got a question, a serious one and you have to answer me honestly. There is no wrong answer, so you won't be punished for it. Understand?" Ludwing instructs. Alfred nods, awaiting the question. "Are you in love with that warlock?" Ludwig inquires. "Common Alfred, I'm smarter than you think. I know that's not a GIF, and that thing you built was supposed to be a time machine. But, are you in love with him?"

"T-t-that's hard to aa-a-a-a-answer when I'm n-n-not even sure what-t it is."

"I'm sure you do. Quit telling yourself that."

"T-t-t-t-t-then y-y-y-y-y-yes! Can I g-g-get out now?!" He yells, getting angry. Ludwig walks over to him and helps him out without a word. His heavy clothes stick to him and his legs feel completely numb as he tries to walk. Ludwig ends up dragging him back to his cell. He sets him inside with a clean pair of clothes to change into, as well as a towel draped over his shoulders. He leaves.

"Alfred!" Arthur sighs in relief, "Oh my god you're alive! What happened? Why is your room such a mess?" Arthur said sounding like a worried mother.  
"Arthur, I was so scared! Today on all the documents, is supposed to be your death day. When I woke up and you weren't there I panicked and had a fit... So the doc took me into a room to cool off."

"I," he paused and couldn't think for a moment, "I'm supposed to die today?" He looks around cautiously. "Maybe, maybe it's different because now we have each other. Maybe now time doesn't move linearly anymore. Maybe your data were always wrong."

"Yeah... you're probably right." Alfred takes a deep breath. "But, I'm ok, you're ok, we're ok. That's all that matters."

"Yeah, so, you really did a number on your place." Arthur says examining it closely. "Everything's, broken. Is that really all that happened? I didn't wake you up, and that's what worried you?" Arthur giggled. "That really is kind of silly."

"I'm sorry... but if the stars told you I was supposed to die today, and I didn't wake you, you'd freak out too, right? I don't exactly know what 'normal' is so correct me if I'm wrong..." Alfred begins to remove his wet shirt to replace it with the dry one he was given.

Arthur blushed looking away a little. "Yeah, I guess I would. Ya know, for not ever seeming to work out or anything, you have a nice six pack," he trailed off.

"Are you ok? Your face is turning red, are you getting a fever?" Alfred asks, also getting a little flustered, but not noticing. He puts a shirt on and begins to undo his pants. "If you're feeling sick you might wanna look away." He suggests.

"No I'm not feeling sick! Haven't you ever seen someone blush?" He said looking at him, however totally failing to look at his face. "I-I-I couldn't look away from the screen if I tried."

"I don't mind really... But I do get a fluffy feeling knowing that you're seeing me nude." He confesses, removing his pants.

"Yeah," Arthur said dazed, "I _certainly_ get a feeling watching you." He trailed off once more. "Moments when I really wish you were here and not there." he finished.

"That makes me wonder what you'd do to me if I was there." Alfred inquires as he slips his pants on.

Arthur sighs, annoyed that his pants were on now, "So many things." He nearly whispered laying back.  
"You should tell me." Alfred smirks.  
"Only because the cameras are probably still burned out, I will." He smirks and goes on.


	5. Deadlines

TAP! TAP! TAP! A noise wakes the sleeping Italian, at his electronic window. Rocks hit it, sending sparks through to the other side. He rises from his bed, and moves to check it out. He touches his widow, lighting up with commands: Cover, open or change scene. Hit selects the "open" button and the clear surface rises. He peers out, looking around for the cause of it.

"Feli!" A voice cries. Ah, the voice of his beloved. He yearns to hear that voice. Even if they have been away from each other for only a day, the desire to see the other is still there. But the Italian's chip fights it, telling him those thoughts are wrong. His fingers spark, and his head throbs. His purple eyes are wide and alarmed. He lets out a wail, grabbing his head and retreating backward in room again. He hears his Japanese servant run out to Ludwig, and offer to take him inside.

Feliciano stumbles, trying to sit back on his bed, his piercing headache gets worse. He trips just before it and falls on the floor. Tears of pain begin to fall, head resting on the soft carpet on the floor. He chokes on screams, not wanting his family to wake up. He doesn't want his family to know he's fighting the chip. He can't take it anymore. He knows he has to win this fight, or he'll lose himself completely. Then, he feels a big comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Hang in there, Feli!" Ludwig pleads, dropping to his side. He lifts the weak boy on the floor into his arms, letting him rest in his lap. He hides his tear filled eyes in his shoulder. The pain is still there, but not as intense. His whimpers calm down, coming less often in the arms of his lover. "I won't give up, and neither should you." He whispers softly in his ear. Hearing this, Feliciano moves his head from his head to be placed around Ludwig's strong neck. His lover places a kiss on the part on his hair, nuzzling his nose on the strands, taking in his scent. He knows that the more he fights it, the worse his condition will become. His brain is fighting itself. If he doesn't remove that chip soon, neither side will win. It will eventually result in him being brain dead. It will shut down the rest of his body and... kill him.

Ludwig stands, picking up his withering lover bridal style and carrying him out his room. Kiku stayed just outside the door, just in case of what scene might play out. As they exit, he locks the door, following him out.

"Do you think you can remove the chip?" Kiku asks, staying right beside them.

"I know I can. I have too." He replies, glancing down at his beloved Feli. "But don't you have to stay here? Protect the Vargas's: It what you swore to do."

"Yes, I did swear. But I only swore to protect _this_ Vargas. Feliciano Vargas. My friend. Where he goes, I'll go."

"I see. Then, feel free to come along. I'll take all the help I can get. I'm breaking a lot of laws here... and a lot more morals." He adds, eyes shifting to Kiku. He bows.

"I humbly accept this. I can't stand to watch another loved one leave me." He flashes a smile, and looks out away from them. "...Yao Wang, hang in there Nii-chan..." He whispers, to keep it from the others.

After a_ very_ long talk about countless things lovers do last night, Arthur awakens in the comfort of his house, the magical book possessing his boyfriend propped up on the nightstand by a vintage book holder. Well, it's new at the time. He hears music radiating from it, having a strong beat, and made with instruments he's never heard before. The only thing familiar is possibly the sound of the drums, and he is most certain there's a person singing. Wait, two people.

"Alfred?" He asks, hazily. He grabs the book and looks into it. He hears a mad scramble and the music stop.

"Yeah?"

"What was that?" He inquires more. Alfred pops into the shot with his big smile of his.

"Music! They call it dubstep. The land you came from actually created it. Of course, it's much different because of time..." He explains. Oh, that dreaded word time. Its the word that binds them, yet holds them so far apart.  
"Hardly sounded like it..."

"I probably isn't it then. It didn't really make me happy like you said it would. So, as I was looking music up, I checked the documents on you again."

"Anything different?"

"Yeah! You... You don't have a death date. All talk about your death is completely destroyed." He glances over to the scene beside the portal as he talks, checking it. "This... This is..." Suddenly his happy expression melts away. It turns into that of shock. He takes a document and moves it in front of the portal so Arthur can see.

"'Warlock Revives Homosexual Lover'," he reads out loud. "I do believe we're making progress. Check the date on that." He requests. Alfred types on the wall, showing him a zoomed in photo of the date.

"That hasn't passed yet. That's in two days, Arthur."

The warlocks face turns white. "Do you think that means, that when I go to your time" he swallows, "I'll die?

Alfred's face turns white. He looks so bluntly dead for a moment. "M-maybe it's just a time limit to do something. Maybe it'll keep getting further away. It changed once already."  
"Death is a time limit Alfred."  
"We changed it we can change it again!"  
"Maybe" The warlock holds little hope, but hope all the same. "Maybe it's how long this portal will last. I can feel it's unstable. It needs a large amount of energy to keep open."  
"Maybe." Alfred replied. Not wanting to make their precious time sad if this was true. So, he turned to a happier subject. "What does music in your country sound like, then? How does it make you feel happy?"  
Arthur blushed lightly trying to figure out how he would do this in the least embarrassing manor. Although singing can be heard often live, he wouldn't consider waltzing up to a band and holding the portal by it. It'd be weird holding a book open to it, especially with Alfred's moving, living face on it as he listened. It'd be too risky. "Well, it's obvious music that you hear straight from someone or a band is much more... invigorating than second hand, but I guess..." Arthur scanned the shelves of his house and saw a music box with a song he knew all the words to. "This one will work." He started winding the box carefully as though even the thought of dropping it would break the fragile beauty. Decorative fairies and other little spirits anointed it. It was one of his most prized possessions, and as he made the final turn, he smiled and set it down allowing the little figures to do their little small movements. The fairies delicate wings fluttered up and down and some of the creatures moved around. The lilting soft upbeat chimes of Arthur's music came. Arthur soon remembered why he shouldn't have chosen that particular one but the first flowing chimes already entranced Alfred. Each soft chime made him smile a little happier until Arthur started to sing along softly. Arthur never took his eyes off of Alfred the entire song. The vision in his eyes let him fall into the music and no longer care that it was a sappy song. The song finished with a little waver that reminded Arthur he may need to get it tuned up soon, but the way it finished was perfect for the moment.  
"That was... It was... I can't explain it." He smiles. "It makes me feel happy like it should." He sighs, sitting back on the floor. "I wish you were here to sing it to me some more." He places a hand on the screen again, longing to get through to the other side for him. He'd do anything. Some people will never hear that, never feel, understand, or comprehend like normal humans should. He traces the outside of the portal, feeling every crevice and gadget put into it. So much work got them this far, it can't be over so soon. They have to keep fighting... but how? The wheels in Alfred's mind start turning. Looking over his destroyed room, he starts taking pieces and forming an object.  
"What are you doing Alfred?" Arthur said as he saw the parts start coming together in the front of the room creating something. Little things, bigger things, and all just shiny metal gadgets cover the center of the room. He watches Alfred's adorable, focused expression. Soon, he holds a small object in his hand shaped like a gun. Connecting two wires, the center glows blue. A second object he works on still, removing more and more circuits and wires from his creation. It takes the shape of a big, thin book.

"Ok, so this is a gun I just made." He explains, holding up the first object. "And this is an iPad. It's a really old piece of technology for people these days, but still really new to you." He messes around with the screen on the iPad until it lights up. "Yes!" He shouts proud it works. He beams, the light from the object dancing off his features.

"I know what a gun is, and that doesn't look much like one." Arthur says doubtfully. "What are you going to do with all that? You haven't made a time machine have you?"

"That's what I'm talking to you through, the time machine I made. All I have to do is strengthen it. You said it was getting weaker right? I probably wasn't using enough power so it only lets me see you, not... be with you. All I have to do is re-wire it to a stronger power source instead of this stupid building." He picks up the gun and twirls it. He cocks it back and aims. He pulls the trigger, and a laser bullet fires from it. "Looks like a gun to me. Do you know what I'm gonna use it for?"

"Shits and giggles?" He said knowing what humans tend to use guns for.

"Um... What ever that means, no. I'm going to break out of here! And you're coming with me!"

"I'm curious how that works considering you didn't think to put me in something more portable, unless of course walls shrink in your time. Also what's this better power source you're talking about? Stop being confusing!" He turned into an annoyed British person.

"That's what the iPad is for. There are two main buildings that contain our power source for this city. I plan to go to one of them and steal its core. I'll bring it back here, and wire it to the time machine! I'll get to be with you in no time! The issue is, we have two days to do this." He starts typing away like lightning on his pad.

"Either they have really crappy security in your time or you're insane," Arthur stated outright.

"Or both!" Alfred chimed.

"Well isn't there a way for me to help you? Don't you have holograms and all that?" Arthur asked curious.

"How do you know about holograms!?" Alfred practically yelled in shock. "How did you know I was trying to make you a hologram so you could walk around with me?"  
"How else? You left a file open. I can access this computer too," Arthur paused, "sort of at least."  
"Well," Alfred paused for a moment in thought, "Do you want to give it a try? I'm not sure it would work, but I think I can create enough energy for this app I've been working on to turn you into a hologram. You won't be able to feel, but you might be of more help, and I won't look so weird talking to one of these dinosaurs." He pointed to the iPad.  
"Do whatever you need to do. I trust you," Arthur replied sincerely.  
Alfred opened the app and without another word he charged himself with the molecules around him feeding the iPad enough energy possible to make the hologram, but not enough to fry the small circuits of the delicate piece of technology. Suddenly, in a reverse of the camera function, out shot out a bright light. The next moment what stood before him was his boyfriend, pale, sunken eyed, starved, beautiful, painful to look at, and smiling.  
"It worked!" Arthur exclaimed.  
Alfred smiled and moved the tablet, and then Arthur moved. Oh this was going to be a problem. They bickered about it for at least ten minutes until they realized that somehow, because of the portal, there was only one thing Arthur could touch in hologram form. If he held the iPad himself it wouldn't fall because it still held the portal. Also, if he was holding it he could control his own movements. Arthur clutched the piece for dear life as he examined it some more. He could see himself on the other side in some sort of a trance, floating even, and looking blank eyed, dead into the screen. At first he jumped at the repulsive vision. That body looked even worse than the holograms.

Finally getting a good chance to look at him, Alfred giggles. The first time they get to be together, sort-of in the same room, they bicker. Now, excitement starts to set in.

"Well, uh, welcome to my room! Sorry it's such a mess!" Alfred smiles, starting to laugh. "I'm really nervous to go outside. I'm glad you're with me...kinda. You look so real. Just think, soon..." He takes a step closer; his hands hover over the ones grasping the iPad. Cool blue eyes wash over emerald ones, taking in the sight. "...Soon, I'll be able to kiss _you_, not the wall." his smile turns into a smirk, watching the Brit's cheeks turn a light pink.

"Let's hope so. So rather than stare into my very accurately depicted fake eyes let's start making me real!" Arthur exclaimed.

He paused and looked back hopelessly, "So how are you going to do this again? I mean we can't exactly walk out the front door."

"Watch me." The young boy grabs the gun and heads over to the door. "Stand back." He orders, turning to the door. He faces Arthur again, realizing how stupid that command was. "Well, you can if you want to, but... hologram, yeah..." He shrugs and goes back to the door. He cracks his knuckles, stretching his arms and cracking his neck. With 3 good shots, he blows the locking mechanism right off of it. He leans back and kicks the door down, not really needing too, but felt it was appropriate.  
"Oh, so that's how. Should we run now?" Arthur asked following him out the door. Soon after, alarms sound. The building starts flashing red, just as loud noises blare. Alfred starts to spark, feeling the chip attempting to stop him.  
"You bet!" He yells, wincing, but trying to ignore it. He's shocked how no one is trying to stop him so far. He's been running down endless hallways, following the exit signs. Oh, how convenient they were.  
"Stop! Right there!" His doctor orders from behind him. Alfred just ignores him, and keeps running. He can't look back. He can't lose, not now. Ludwig seems to falter, seeing the other boy with him. He smiles to himself, knowing he shouldn't be glad, but he truly is. He's happy that they can finally be together. Now, they are going out into the world to escape. That's risky for someone who doesn't even know what its looks like. His order soon turns into a plea. "Stop! Please! I want to help you!" He yells, hoping he'll listen.  
"We both do!" Feli adds, catching up to his lover. "We know what it's like to have forbidden love!" He cries. His eyes have returned to a golden brown.


	6. Time Has Never Been on Their Side

Alfred starts to slow down, hearing this. There's no way... his doctor... is gay too? Maybe it's a trap, he thinks, about to run again. But as he looks up, he runs right into his doctor's brother, Gilbert.

"Common, you really think he didn't know about it the whole time? He protected you. He edited the surveillance so you wouldn't get caught from the very first day you made the time machine." Gilbert explains with a smirk. He crosses his arms, not about to let him pass.  
"How did you- I did no such thing! I didn't care just didn't want to file paperwork!" Ludwig defends trying and failing to deny allegations of such rule breaking.  
"Aww West! How cute are you when you try to deny doing illegal things! Don't worry I got your back." The groups of people form a circle, ready to form a plan. "I said the things you did were illegal, but not wrong. It's time for the awesome me to step it up. Time to do for you, what you have done for them. As soon as you get out of here I'll erase the surveillance and come up with an excuse for the authorities. As much as I'd enjoy following you on your journey, my wife needs me."  
"Your so sweet Gil!" Feli says warmly. Ludwig takes his hand, glad to have him back. The operation Ludwig performed to remove that chip was a success. He rests his head on Ludwig's shoulder; his brown eyes watch the two blond escapees.  
"Alfred do you know where the power source is that would be strong enough to accomplish the mission?" Ludwig asks, having overheard every conversation the two had ever had including the last one.  
"Er, I think so, though I've never been outside before."  
"That's okay, let me see the iPad. I promise I'll give it back," he said noticing the apprehension on the Brit's face.  
"Fine," Arthur finally conceded trying not to get sick as someone else controlled where he stood for a few moments.  
"Right," Ludwig quickly put a map on the screen that showed them their current location and handed it back to Arthur. "Right, me and Feli are going with you, but if we get separated that map will be of no valuable. You are going to be the navigator." He said, no questions asked, to Arthur. He probably already knew how good with maps Alfred was.  
"I was thinking we could go to the core of this city. It should be more than enough energy to get me across." Alfred explains.  
"How are we going to get past the security?" Feliciano asks, sounding a little scared.  
"With this." Kiku appears in the hallway with them, wielding a sword. "I was trained when I was only 5 how to kill a man in the name of protection. Leave it to me." He bows, and places the weapon in its case, attached to his belt.  
"Know what, I'm not asking questions. Thank you stranger, let's get going Alfred!" Arthur hurries them. "We've only got so much time to do this, and we've only got so much time that can be bought with other people! We need to move now!"  
"Yeah we only have two days! Let's move it!" Alfred tells them, heading to the exit.

Gilbert gets right to work, heading to the attic to erase everything that just happened and put images of Alfred sleeping, and placing them on a loop. That way, when they ask to see the surveillance, there won't be a problem. He knows that's what they'll do because he's in a rich family. Ever since his brother worked his way up the social ladder, he has too. He married a rich woman who is close to the government. It comes in handy at sometimes. He grabs a screen and types in an access code.

"Elizaveta? Baby, you there?" He asks, sitting back and waiting for her to answer.  
No answer. He knew she was at home. Her job would be over by now, so why wasn't she answering? What would the Hungarian woman be doing that's so important?  
Trying again in annoyance that his awesomeness would be denied, someone finally answered. "Yes?" answered a hot, steamy, breath. It's a familiar voice, but not the right voice.  
"Roderich? Why are you an-" Gilbert took the phone from his ear and stared at the number he had dialed. It did say Elizaveta. It really did. It was late. And, Roderich was breathing hard. And HE had answered when she should be asleep this late.  
Realizing his mistake on the other line, rolling off of Elizaveta eyes wide, and covering him with part of the covers, trying to regain his breath realizing he had just been caught red handed. He tried to lie, or explain, "It's not what you think Gilbert! I just got my phone mixed with hers-" He was cut off by the sound of the phone hanging up. Gilbert has no time to mourn, to even fully process the situation. He is immediately distracted by the sound of cops breaking in.  
"At least I know... When I'm arrested she won't be lonely." Then, men dressed in black suits flood the surveillance booth. They grab at him, but he doesn't fight it. They take him away silently for questioning.

Alfred, Ludwig, Kiku, Feliciano, and Hologram!Arthur made their journey to the city. Arthur looked out to the area around him, amazed it wasn't a city. Well, not a city he was used too. The buildings are tall, with blue electronics embedded into them like intricate patterns. Cars, that looks like really compact chariots to him, speed by over their heads. The sky above was no longer blue, but almost a brownish gray. Clouds are tan and brown, sometimes a caramel color but anything but fluffy. Being so heavy they're not so high in the sky as white ones once were. Emerging from the cloudy horizon is the moon. Much bigger than before. Arthur jumps from seeing it. His surroundings almost want to make him cry. This is what has become of the world? It's terrifying. Another fear takes over when he hears Alfred cough from beside him. He grabs his chest and wheezes. He has spent his entire life in an air-filtered room. Now, he's out in the world. He's breathing gases he hasn't even gotten the chance to research yet.  
His nose hits smells he can't even describe. Dirty, unclean, rusty and thick are some words that come to mind, but hardly come close. He coughs some more. This is going to take some getting used too. Theories from before about asphyxiation come to Arthur's mind. The more he watches him like this, the more worried he is.  
Ludwig steps between them. "Please, let me deal with this." He turns to tell Arthur before worrying himself with Alfred. His quick steady hands practically wrap around his throat. They feel for a pulse as well as any swelling from allergies not previously known. When there are no signs of anything lethal he pinches Alfred's nose and forces him to swallow a pill.  
"He'll be okay." Ludwig says removing his hands and stepping back.  
"What did you just do? What did you make him eat?!" Arthur asks.  
"I gave him a pill. It'll null his sense of smell so he'll be able to breath easier and his lungs will get use to the filth in the air. It's nothing really. There's no need to worry. They're also good for dogs. Leave one where you've been and if a dog is following you and consumes it they won't be smelling you anytime soon."  
Arthur nodded bewildered as the strangers kept on to the city before them. However their surroundings and the sky horrified Arthur the city held a dangerous appeal to him. He could see them, with their self cleaning mechanics; their white walls with blue lights going up to indicate electrical usage and so that no flying vehicles might crash into any of the towering megaliths. Crystal windows showed humans still walking around like ants in a glass anthill. The ground area of the buildings had trees growing too. It was obvious these trees were treated very nicely. Maybe it was to make up for all the mistreatment that had caused such an abysmal sky. Yes, in a brown, white and blue world the green lush nature did have a certain appeal.  
"Is that where we're headed?" Arthur asked.  
"Yes. Do you see that building there? The largest one in the center?" Ludwig replied. He then pointed toward the center of the city.  
It caught Arthur's eye. A building towering so high above the other buildings it did more than scrape the clouds. It pierced them. This building was by far covered in the most neon blue energy and had no windows.  
"I do." Arthur answered, mystified by the world.  
"That's where we're headed." Ludwig replied.

"Ve~ It's going to take awhile to get there..." The lazy Italian sighs. "I've only been that deep into the city a few times. I visited my brother Romano." He smiles fondly, thinking of him. "He has mysteriously come into a lot of money recently... I wonder if he can help us! Lud, can I borrow your communicator?" He asks his lover, reaching into the doctor's pocket without a reply from him yet.

"That isn't happening. Your brother hates me and would turn me into the authorities." Ludwig replied letting his German accent informally invade his speech as he spoke to his lover.

"Won't we be needing somewhere to sleep then Ludwig-san?" Kiku asked finally letting his presence be known. He had been walking so quietly that it was as though four people were walking instead of five.

"Well, there are places we can sleep. I can't promise hospitality, but I don't think they'd look for us there." Ludwig replied.

"Woah, hey! We only have two days! Listen, we don't have time for sleep! We can sleep when we die! It's probably going to take us an entire day to get into the city, then tonight we'll have to steal the core, and take another day to get back. If I'm not on the other side midnight tomorrow night... My love..." He trails off to an end, glancing over at the warlock's holographic form. "He will not make it."

Silence falls over the group. The seriousness of the situation starts to sink in. Without another word, they all head toward the destination of their desires. Their hope lies in the building. Time has never been on their side.


	7. Run Like Hell

The group travels into the night; their surroundings are only being lit by the buildings, the moon being faint and hardly of any service. They near the center of the city, the heart, where the core is. The deeper they go, the more advanced the technology becomes. Besides the way wildlife is absent, the place is beautiful. It's everything Alfred imagined in his cell so blue a pristine. Alfred starts to get excited, his fingers sparking, and flickers of light reaching to the ground. As soon as he notices, he shakes it off. That's a big sign that he has that primitive gene, and should be locked up. He doesn't want to risk getting caught now while they're so close.

Arthur looks around half there. The experience is almost too much for him to comprehend. The unnatural white of the world glares at him. The electric shocking blue stare at him, and it's all very frightening. This is what civilization leads to? The buildings higher in the sky are fogged with the brown air, the only earthy color in this world. Getting farther and farther into this world he feels himself losing it. Was this pristine marble white floor even ground? Where did the earth go? Was he on the same planet? Clutching the only thing that he could, the iPad, he attempted to lean into Alfred for comfort. Feeling himself phase through him, he stood up surprised. He didn't like this world.

"Alfred?" Arthur asked frightful. They hadn't seen other human beings since they had set out on this trek, and it had been many hours.

Alfred looked back, ecstatic, "Isn't this place amazing?"

Not wanting to harm the giddy, childish look on Alfred's face, Arthur just nodded and went on dragging his feet toward what was hopefully salvation.

Many hours later the entire party began to stagger with fatigue and hunger. Arthur even adopted the aura even though he had eaten Francis's cooking while they were on their trek after he had stumbled and started to phase out due to fatigue and starving himself over the last few days on accident. They had all urged him to sleep, though he knew it would be futile to even try when he would be too busy worrying about the people in this time, so many years later, and yet more in their present than his own time.

Soon, Alfred sees The Core. He can't stop his hands from sparking. It is as if he can feel the power, the electricity calling to him. His eyes light up, and seem to burn brighter as the electricity flows through him. Then, he starts running. The others barely notice, especially not Arthur, that's too busy looking at his surroundings. Ludwig eventually notices him and chases after him. Crazy boy, headed for The Core, sparking like an escaped criminal. Well, he basically is one.

"Oi!" He calls out, grabbing his Italian boyfriend and chasing after him. Kiku goes with Feliciano as he swore to do, and when Arthur looks back for his friends, he can't find them. Lost in the crowed of unfamiliar futuristic life.

Sighing and panicking slightly he looks around. First instinct tells him to run and look for his love Alfred, however, his brain buts in, telling him he should stop and assess the situation. He's in this mystical city, and he has no clue where anything is. He's scared, he's alone, but no one appears to be looking at him weird. To lose his cool and get himself lost could get him found out, or worse, lost so beyond belief there's no hope of anyone finding him. He had just stumbled upon an open area, and it seemed to be busy and full. However, over the miles the group had traversed this is the first one he'd found, and he didn't know how lucky he would get to find another place like this, another place people gravitated. Actually, now looking at the scene before him, it relaxed him.

The scene before him looked almost normal. As long as he could ignore the strange clothes, the sky, the background, and the pure white ground, the picture before him seemed normal enough. It was just people interacting with other people in a park. They were all very good actors and actresses.

He scanned the horizon. The scene finally struck him completely in its organized beauty. In the exact center of the park area was a lavish, lush, green grass circle cut out of the white floor. Inside of that area stands a sight for sore eyes, a large lush, perfectly symmetrical, deciduous tree in the center of the grass circle. People avoid walking on the grass as though the grass might hurt them. Children are pulled from the grass, as they're about to step on it blindly, and unknowingly. Around this is, of course, the walkway that the people meander around freely on. A circular planter goes around this, split up into four different sections to get to the center. The planters are adorned with bright gold etchings, and accents. Around them, jutting out on all sides are benches made of the same pure whiteness as everything else here. The gold accents gleam as though they had never seen rain or dirt or even the thought of a mess. Inside the planters are low shrubs. A miracle occurs. Dirt can be seen somewhere on this planet. Arthur walks toward it careful not to look suspicious and examines it. The dirt is the cleanest, most consistent dirt he'd ever seen, and even though the dirt isn't quite normal, he loves it. He stares at it for a good minute before returning to his senses and examining the people. The way the earthy colors and the pristine white and gold meld in the scene is unnatural, but ignoring this, he let his legs rest and sat down at a bench.

If was funny how fickle his hologram self was. He could sit on a bench, but he couldn't lean into the man he loved? Stupid hologram.

Once again allowing his eyes to move straight across from him in the circle was a face he recognized too well. A face that annoyed the crap at of him in his own home. Although, something was different. Whereas everyone around him was happy almost like they'd been programmed to be that way, he stared sadly to his right. The sad gaze practically made Arthur's heart skip a beat and forget how much he hated Francis in his own time. Curious, maybe even concerned, his eyes traced the path Francis's own stared down. At first Arthur scans the area but finds nothing until a face turns his way. A face that does catch his attention. A face with bright outlandish lavender. eyes. A face that looks like it had been stolen from him. His face. On him. With purple eyes. Same shaggy blond hair, same slightly imperfect teeth, same fake smile. It is his future self in the flesh. A reincarnation, like Ælfreed into Alfred. Arthur, into who, or what exactly?

Arthur took a sharp intake of breath. He was sitting next to a girl with purple eyes, brown hair, a nice figure and good teeth. A cute smile. Completely fake, but still a cute smile. What had caused this!? Why was this scene happening? Arthur had never thought about a future him. He always assumed there wasn't. He didn't know why, but when he learned that Alfred had nothing to do with future him he hadn't guessed that a future Arthur might exist that didn't know Alfred. He stared. Purple eyes. His gaze turned back to the Frenchmen. A moment too soon or a moment too late, you pick. Just in time to lock eyes with Francis. France's eyes bulged and stared. Arthur quickly broke the gaze, however, he could see the Frenchmen gracefully get up. Arthur's muscles willed him to move, but he was rooted in place. Francis walked fast and stood in front of the Englishmen. Neither made eye contact.

"Est-ce que tu les yeux verts?" Francis asked solemnly trying to hold back any emotion.

Having known French most of his life Arthur knew that he had asked, 'Is that you, green eyes?' When they had been friends in his own time, that's what Francis had called him.

"Oui, mais pas vos yeux verts" Arthur replied, answering, 'yes, but not _your _green eyes.' Suddenly, another voice is heard.

"Arthur!" Alfred cries, catching up to him. "Figured I'd find you around a patch of green. Common, we need to go we don't have much time." Alfred tells him, guiding the iPad in his direction.

"W-wait! W-where? Where are you going!? Don't leave me again!" Francis calls out, reaching for the Englishman. He soon finds his hand goes right through his holographic arm.

"Sorry dude, we don't know you. We gotta go break into The Core for a time machine so I can be with my lover. Right now he's a hologram, I think you figured that out..."

"Alfred! Don't just go off and reveal things like that to... strangers..." Arthur trails off. Everyone here is a stranger no matter how familiar they look.

"Then let me help." the Frenchmen steps in, his thick accent tainting his English. "My dad is the head security guard of The Core. He's out of town visiting my mother so he put me in charge. I'm supposed to execute all that enter but... Lately when a family would break in for some power for their house, I'd let them. I can't take it anymore. The government just takes things from us. Our power, our ability to live how we want, our ability to love! If this means you can love freely in another world, then so be it. The government doesn't deserve this power." The boy looks down, golden hair falling on his face. "My name is Françoise Bonnefrey, and the government took my love away. '_My_ green eyes' is gone. I won't let you lose yours."

The other two stand there speechless. Arthur has never seen Francis this way. He was always one to get right onto killing people in cold blood, that's what he remembers. Now, in the future, he has been like that, but changed. Maybe Francis changes back in time. Maybe there is still hope for him. Alfred on the other hand can't believe his luck, to run into someone that believes as they do, willing to help them on a whim.

"Lets do it then." Alfred nods, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You a good man, Françoise. Don't ever lose yourself." He smiles lightly, seeing the man lift his head. He nods, and Alfred decides it's time to move. "The others are at the entrance waiting for us. We got access now, getting in is easy. All we got to worry about is getting The Core out without being noticed."

"Got any ideas?" Françoise asks.

"Run like hell." Arthur tells him. He gets strange looks from the others. "What? Worked last time." He shrugs and the three set off to join the others.


End file.
